Theatrical



PATENT rricn,

JOHN THOMAS KILHAM, OF LONVILLE, NEW YORK.

TH EATRlCAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,623, dated January 1, 1889.

Application filed June 15, 1888. Serial No. 277,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN THOMAS KILHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowville, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, have inx'ented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lheatrical Appliances; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in. the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in theatrical scenery; and it has for its object to improve upon the construction of interchangeable sectional scenes for theaters, in which the scenes to be presented are painted upon a series of mov able sections,which are adapted to be so moved as to hide or expose at will the sections of another scene. The special object of the present invention, however, is to improve upon the construction shown in my former patent, granted to me Way 22, 1988, No. 383,361.

The gist of the invention consists in so constructing and attaching the slats composing the sectional scenes or curtains that both sides of the slats may be utilized for presenting scenes by simply reversing the ends of the frame.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may relate the same consists in the peculiar combinations and in the novel arrange ment an d adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the draw ings, and then particularly defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a front elevation of a series of sectional scene-surfaces constructed in accordance with my invention, with part broken away in order to more clearly illustrate other parts. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are details more particularly hereinafter referred to.

Reference now being had to .the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the main or stationary frame, preferably rectangular in form and of a size depending upon the size of the scene to be produced A are vertical strips or uprights secured at their upper and lower ends to the top and bottom timbers of the outside frame. Any desired number of these uprights may be employed.

B B are slats, which may be constructed of either wood, paper, or other substance adapted to such use; but I prefer to make them of either card-board or thick paper coated with gum-shellac or varnish. These slats B are pivotally attached to the uprights A in any suitable manner, but preferably by means of clips W. This clip is made of sheet metal doubled or bent upon itself and provided at the fold at its upper end with a suitable eye, B through which eye a staple, B is passed in securing the same to the uprights A The upper edge of the slat is held between the downwardly-extending sides of the clasp, and may be retained in place by means of rivets passed through the same.

C C are movable uprights placed between the stationary uprights A and C are slats secured to the said uprights. The slats C and their means of attachment to the uprights are in all respects similar to those described in connection with the first set of sections, as are also the slats D, secured to the movable uprights D It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that any number of these uprights an d their corresponding attachments may be employed. The arrangement of the slats of each section is such that they are adapted to be moved so as to alternately hide or expose the corresponding sections of the next adjacent series by vertically moving the uprights to which the slats are hinged.

Any suitable means may be provided for moving the uprights carrying-the several sectional scenes. An arrangement of operatingleverssuch as I have shown in my former patent, referred to abovemay be employed, or handles H maybe secured to the cross-bars H H connecting the uprights.

It will be seen that, as the sections composing the various scenes have hinge-d connection at their upper edges with the uprights, by simply reversing the ends of the frame the slats will be turned so as to expose their able sections, the sections of one set conopposite faces, upon which other scenes may structed to alternately hide and expose those be painted. of the other set, and the whole adapted to be I 5 Having thus described my invention, WhatI reversed to expose the opposite side of said 5 claim to be new is sections, substantially as described.

1. A scene composed of sets of interchange- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in ble reversible sections, substantially as depresence of two Witnesses. scribed. T .o 7 V 2 l h 2. A scene composed of interchangeable re- JOEL THOMAb IXILI A I I0 versible hinged sections, substantially as and Vitnesses:

for the purpose described. JOHN C. MOGARVEY,

3. A scene composed of sets of interchange JOHN THAIN. 

